Obama's day: A DefSec, a king, 7 governors-elect

President Obama wraps the week Friday with a busy day of events that touch on national defense, the Middle East, immigration and the domestic economy.

In the mid-morning, Obama confirms that he will nominate longtime Pentagon official Ashton Carter to be the new secretary of Defense to replace the outgoing Chuck Hagel.

Carter, a distinguished visiting fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, served as deputy Defense secretary from 2011 to 2013, with specialties that included weapons procurement and the budget.

Later Friday morning, Obama meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan on a series of Middle East issues, particularly the battle against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Obama and the king will also discuss ways to "find a political solution in Syria, provide humanitarian assistance to refugees from the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, and take steps to calm tensions in Jerusalem."

This afternoon, Obama meets with newly elected governors of Alaska, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas.

The goal, the White House says, is "to discuss the ways in which the Administration can partner with states to promote economic opportunity for middle-class Americans. The President and the incoming governors will discuss how we can build on our growing economy by creating more jobs and ensuring that every American who works hard has an opportunity to succeed."

Immigration may also surface during the meeting.

Texas Gov.-elect Greg Abbott is currently the state's attorney general — one of those who have sued the Obama administration over the president's new immigration actions.